Former Colts Jeff Saturday Jumps from Playing Field to TV Studio

For former Colts player, Jeff Saturday, didn’t have to wait long for another gig after retiring in March, 2013. That’s because the long-time center, who played together with Peyton Manning for 13 years in Indianapolis, will jump from the playing field to the studio as an NFL analyst for ESPN. He is expected to make his first TV appearance on July 17.

Saturday signed as a free agent with the Green Bay Packers in 2012, where he played just a single season before retiring. At the 2013 Pro Bowl, where he represented the NFC, he took one last snap for with his old teammate Peyton Manning, followed by a sentimental hug. Manning handed him the game ball, and then went on to get beat by the NFC side.

In 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, he started all but 9 of 197 regular-season games. He was a 5-time Pro Bowl selectee and was the starting center in Super Bowl XLI, when the Colts defeated the Bears 29-17.

Because they typically possess a good understanding the nuances of the game, former offensive linemen are often make thoughtful analysts.

In Saturday’s case, his contribution to the sport went beyond the playing field. He played a key role in brokering the new collective bargaining agreement in 2011 as a representative of the NFL Players Association.

On the day he officially retired in March of 2013 he said, “This does not happen for many players, especially many offensive linemen. I’m excited to retire as a Colt. I mean, this is my home. This is what we’ve supported for so many years. I was known, no matter what team I was playing for, as a Colt. So it’s good to put that horseshoe on and go out that way.”